gang； another was a boy about twelve； he lay between the two
other convicts； with his head on the leg of one of them。
When he had passed out of the gate Nekhludoff took a deep breath
and long continued to breathe in deep draughts of frosty air。
CHAPTER XIX。
WHY IS IT DONE？
It had cleared up and was starlight。 Except in a few places the
mud was frozen hard when Nekhludoff returned to his inn and
knocked at one of its dark windows。 The broad…shouldered labourer
came barefooted to open the door for him and let him in。 Through
a door on the right； leading to the back premises； came the loud
snoring of the carters； who slept there； and the sound of many
horses chewing oats came from the yard。 The front room； where a
red lamp was burning in front of the icons； smelt of wormwood and
perspiration； and some one with mighty lungs was snoring behind a
partition。 Nekhludoff undressed； put his leather travelling
pillow on the oilcloth sofa； spread out his rug and lay down；
thinking over all he had seen and heard that day； the boy
sleeping on the liquid that oozed from the stinking tub； with his
head on the convict's leg； seemed more dreadful than all else。
Unexpected and important as his conversation with Simonson and
Katusha that evening had been； he did not dwell on it； his
situation in relation to that subject was so complicated and
indefinite that he drove the thought from his mind。 But the
picture of those unfortunate beings； inhaling the noisome air；
and lying in the liquid oozing out of the stinking tub；
especially that of the boy； with his innocent face asleep on the
leg of a criminal； came all the more vividly to his mind； and he
could not get it out of his head。
To know that somewhere far away there are men who torture other
men by inflicting all sorts of humiliations and inhuman
degradation and sufferings on them； or for three months
incessantly to look on while men were inflicting these
humiliations and sufferings on other men is a very different
thing。 And Nekhludoff felt it。 More than once during these three
months he asked himself； 〃Am I mad because I see what others do
not； or are they mad that do these things that I see？〃
Yet they （and there were many of them） did what seemed so
astonishing and terrible to him with such quiet assurance that
what they were doing was necessary and was important and useful
work that it was hard to believe they were mad； nor could he；
conscious of the clearness of his thoughts； believe he was mad；
and all this kept him continually in a state of perplexity。
This is how the things he saw during these three months impressed
Nekhludoff： From among the people who were free； those were
chosen； by means of trials and the administration； who were the
most nervous； the most hot tempered； the most excitable； the most
gifted； and the strongest； but the least careful and cunning。
These people； not a wit more dangerous than many of those who
remained free； were first locked in prisons； transported to
Siberia； where they were provided for and kept months and years
in perfect idleness； and away from nature； their families； and
useful workthat is； away from the conditions necessary for a
natural and moral life。 This firstly。 Secondly； these people were
subjected to all sorts of unnecessary indignity in these
different Placeschains； shaved heads； shameful clothingthat
is； they were deprived of the chief motives that induce the weak
to live good lives； the regard for public opinion； the sense of
shame and the consciousness of human dignity。 Thirdly； they were
continually exposed to dangers； such as the epidemics so frequent
in places of confinement； exhaustion； flogging； not to mention
accidents； such as sunstrokes； drowning or conflagrations； when
the instinct of self…preservation makes even the kindest； most
moral men commit cruel actions； and excuse such actions when
committed by others。
Fourthly； these people were forced to associate with others who
were particularly depraved by life； and especially by these very
institutionsrakes； murderers and villainswho act on those who
are not yet corrupted by the measures inflicted on them as leaven
acts on dough。
And； fifthly； the fact that all sorts of violence； cruelty；
inhumanity； are not only tolerated； but even permitted by the
government； when it suits its purposes； was impressed on them
most forcibly by the inhuman treatment they were subjected to； by
the sufferings inflicted on children； women and old men； by
floggings with rods and whips； by rewards offered for bringing a
fugitive back； dead or alive； by the separation of husbands and
wives； and the uniting them with the wives and husbands of others
for sexual intercourse； by shooting or hanging them。 To those who
were deprived of their freedom； who were in want and misery； acts
of violence were evidently still more permissible。 All these
institutions seemed purposely invented for the production of
depravity and vice； condensed to such a degree that no other
conditions could produce it； and for the spreading of this
condensed depravity and vice broadcast among the whole population
〃Just as if a problem had been set to find the best； the surest
means of depraving the greatest number of persons；〃 thought
Nekhludoff； while investigating the deeds that were being done in
the prisons and halting stations。 Every year hundreds of
thousands were brought to the highest pitch of depravity； and
when completely depraved they were set free to carry the
depravity they had caught in prison among the people。 In the
prisons of Tamen； Ekaterinburg； Tomsk and at the halting stations
Nekhludoff saw how successfully the object society seemed to have
set itself was attained。
Ordinary； simple men with a conception of the demands of the
social and Christian Russian peasant morality lost this
conception； and found a new one； founded chiefly on the idea that
any outrage or violence was justifiable if it seemed profitable。
After living in a prison those people became conscious with the
whole of their being that； judging by what was happening to
themselves； all the moral laws； the respect and the sympathy for
others which church and the moral teachers preach； was really set
aside； and that； therefore； they； too； need not keep the laws。
Nekhludoff noticed the effects of prison life on all the convicts
he knewon Fedoroff； on Makar； and even on Taras； who； after two
months among the convicts； struck Nekhludoff by the want of
morality in his arguments。 Nekhludoff found out during his
journey how tramps； escaping into the marshes； persuade a comrade
to escape with them； and then kill him and feed on his flesh。 （He
saw a living man who was accused of this and acknowledged the
fact。） And the most terrible part was that this was not a
solitary； but a recurring case。
Only by a special cultivation of vice； such as was perpetrated in
these establishments； could a Russian be brought to the state of
this tramp； who excelled Nietzsche's newest teaching； and held
that everything was possible and nothing forbidden； and who
spread this teaching first among the convicts and then among the
people in general。
The only explanation of all that was being done was the wish to
put a stop to crime by fear； by correction； by lawful vengeance
as it was written in the books。 But in reality nothing in the
least resembling any of these results came to pass。 Instead of
vice being put a stop to； it only spread further； instead of
being frightened； the criminals were encouraged （many a tramp
returned to prison of his own free will）。 Instead of being
corrected； every kind of vice was systematically instilled； while
the desire for vengeance did not weaken by the measures of the
government； but was bred in the people who had none of it。
〃Then why is it done？〃 Nekhludoff asked himself； but could find
no answer。 And what seemed most surprising was that all this was
not being done accidentally； not by mistake； not once； but that
it had continued for centuries； with this difference only； that
at first the people's nostrils used to be torn and their ears cut
off； then they were branded； and now they were manacled and
transported by steam instead of on the old carts。 The arguments
brought forward by those in government service； who said that the
things which aroused his indignation were simply due to the
imperfect arrangements of the places of confinement； and that
they could all be put to rights if prisons of a modern type were
built； did not satisfy Nekhludoff； because he knew that what
revolted him was not the consequence of a better or worse
arrangement of the prisons。 He had read of model prisons with
electric bells； of executions by electricity； recommended by
Tard； but this refined kind of violence revolted him even more。
But what revolted Nekhludoff most was that there were men in the
law courts and in the ministry who received large salaries； taken
from the people； for referring to books written by men like
themselves and with like motives； and sorting actions that
violated laws made by themselves according to different statutes；
and； in obedience to these statutes； sending those guilty of such
actions to places where they were completely at the mercy of
cruel； hardened inspectors； jailers； convoy soldiers； where
millions of them perished body and soul。
Now that he had a closer knowledge of prisons； Nekhludoff found
out that all those vices which developed among the
prisonersdrunkenness； gambling； cruelty； and all these terrible
crimes； even cannibalismwere not casual； or due to degeneration
or to the existence of monstrosities of the criminal type； as
science； going hand in hand with the government； explained it；
but an unavoidable consequence of the incomprehensible delusion
that men may punish one another。 Nekhludoff saw that cannibalism
did not commence in the marshes； but in the ministry。 He saw that
his brother…in…law； for example； and； in fact； all the lawyers
and officials； from the usher to the minister； do not care in the
least for justice or the good of the people about whom they
spoke； but only for the roubles they were paid for doing the
things that were the source whence